Elevator-signaling system



2 Sheets-Sheet l Original Filed Oct. 16, 1919 FIGLA.

Jan. 10, 1933. E, P. BUTUsov ELEVATOR SIGNALING SYSTEM Original Filed Oct. 16, 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet lNvENToR f'A//L 5070601/ ,Wm/VLM ATTORNEYS Reissued Jan. l0, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EMIL 1. BUTUSOV, 0F HOLLYWOOD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 DANIEL LEWY, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS ELEVATOR-SIGNAIJNG SYSTEM Original N'o. 1,581,383, dated April 20, 1926, Serial No. 381,114, led October 16, 1919. AppIication for reissue led October 13, 1932. Serial No. 637,654.

upon and individual to the different oors that are reached byl an elevator carr in its up and down travel. v

Hitherto these signal devices have been controlled by electro-magnetic mechanism, one for each signal device.

In accordance with my present invention, I provide electro-magnetic mechanism common to the signal devices, this mechanism operating to bring a circuit controlling switch into lcircuit closing or other controln ling relatio/n successively with the signals 'u and in advance of the arrival of the elevator I have been able to determine, thekplacing' of this mechanism at the mid-point of the system is entirely new. l F

There is also preferably provided a signal device including electro-magneticA operating mechanism common to all of the floors 3o and having a single displaying element adapted, by being placed in successive posi-f tions or conditions that are individual to the floors,to indicate the Hoor levels as they are reached by the elevator car. Such a signal device may be located upon the main floor to be in the presence of an elevator car starter and, if desired, there may be a similar device upon each of the other oors, in

the car or'elsewhere.

My invention is also capable of use in a -elevator system employing a plurality of cars traveling between the various floors of a building, the operation of such cars being Q directed by a starter stationed on the lower 4 floor of the building.

I will explain my invention more fully by reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment thereof.

Figure 1 illustrates a wiring diagram showing the manner in which the various parts of my signaling system for a single elevator are connected electrically, and

Figurel 2 is a conventional sectional elevation of a store, -hotel or oltice building hav y ing a plurality of oors and lshows the preferred method of installing my system forv two elevators with respect to the pent-house and one lof the lloors opening into theelevator hatchways.

Signal devices which are individual to the floors and are upon the iloors, are illustrated at the right of Figure 1, initial signal device 7 being individual to` the first floor, signal devices 8 and 9 to the second Hoor, signal devices 10and11 to they third floor, signal devices 12 and 13 to the fourth floor, and initialA signal device 14 to the iifth floor. These signal devices are preferably inthe form of incandescent lamps, the set of signal devices 7, 8, 10, and 12 displaying light of one color, usually white, tol show the floor from which the car is shortly toascend. .The set of signal devices 9, 11, 13 and 14: display light of another color, usually red, to show the floor from which the car is shortly to descend. For example, when the car, in its descent, nearly reaches the first Hoor, signal 7 will light t0 show that the car is shortly to move upward andwhen the car, in its ascent, nearly reaches the top, Hoor signal 14 will light to show that the car is shortly to descend. The signal toward whose Hoor the car fis moving is displayed an appreciable time beforethe arrival of the car at that floor. y

The other signal device which is employed to indicate the arrivals of the car at lioor levels vis shown as including an index or pointer 15 sweeping over a dial which is markedwith numerical characters or other signs corresponding or individual to the respective Hoor levels. It is, of course, apparent that if the signal devices 7 to 14 linclusive were not employed that the signal device hav- 5 turn in one-direction .when the elevator car is ascendingrand in the reverse direction when the car is descending. A wiper or contact member 17 is connected in circuit for the ascent of the elevator car andanother wiper or contact member 18 is made effective for the descent of the `elevator car, either 'wiper being out of service when the other'is in service. In this way I am enabled to employ the single shaft 16 anda single motor mechanism or electro-magnetic actuated mechanism to turn the shaft 16 in one direction when the wiper 1-7 is eifective and in the reverse direction when the wiper 18 is e'ective, though it is to be understood that I do not limit myself 20 to the single shaft and the accompanying single motor. y

It will be understood thatboth wipers move i with the shaft 16 in both directions, but that the wiper 18 is efectiveonly when moving counter-clockwise, upon the descent of the car,

and the wiper 17 is effective only when moving clockwise, upon the ascent of the car. The wipers are lso positioned upon the shaft with respect to each other and their Waiting 39 contacts 8', 10', 12, 14 (for wiper 17) and 7 9,'11, and 13 (for wiper 18) that either wiper is brought to the beginning of its range of movement when the other Wiper has 1 reached the end of its range of movement.

' 35 These waiting contacts constitute terminals of conductors respectively including the signal lamps through which these conductors and contacts are connected with one side of the battery B. Wiper 17 is connected with '4 a contact button 19 and the wiper 18 is connected with a contact button y20. A master switch 21 is connected with thel other side of batteryVB. This switch is underthe control of the car or elevator system, as will appear,

and is brought into engagement with the contactbutton 2O when the car goes down. Said switch is brought'into engagement with the contact bitton 19 when the car goes up- The diagram of Fig. 1 indicates that the car has nearly reached its lowermost level, the circuits `being adjusted toqlight up lamp 7 on the bottom floor to indicate that the car is near the lower end of its journey and will shortly ascend. The `circuit of the lowermost up lamp 7 includes the down wiper 18 and the circuit of the uppermost down lamp 14 includes tbe up-wiper 17. l

The means which 1 employ to actuate the wiper shaft 16 comprises an electro-magnetic '60 device o r motor having magnets 22, 23 and 24 and an armature 25 common to these magnets and in suitable geai` connection with the shaft 16. This motor is controlled by the moving car or the elevator mechanism that operates the car to cause said armature to move in one direction or the other according to the direction of movement ofthe car. Another motor, which is generally similar to the aforesaid motor,`is provided for governing the posi-y tion of the index 15, this second motor including the magnets 26, 27 and 28 and the armature 29 common to these magnets and in suitable gear connection with the index 15.

`Any suitable mechanism maybe employed to enable the elevator car to govern the condition of the aforesaid motors and the masterl switch 21, but in Fi 1, I have diagrammatically indicated a s eave or pulley 30 upon the same shaft with another sheave or pulley 31K', the latter supporting a cable 32 upon which the elevator car 33 is suspended and the weightwof which cable, in conjunction withthe weight of the car, is offset by the counter-weight 34. Other elevator operating mechanism may be employed, it is understood. A sheave 362i's provided and is driven by the sheave 30 by means of a belt 35, or other motion transmitting mechanism. The sheave 36 is secured to a shaft on which is mounted a commutating device, or ring divided up into metallic segments 37, 38 and 39 successively engaging brushes 39', 392 connected with the terminals of the battery B. Three continuous metallicrings 40, 41 and 42 turn with the ring 37, 38 and 39. Brushes 43, 44 and 45 respectively engage the rings 40, 41 and 42. These rings 40, 41 and 42 are so connected with the magnets of each motor having the armatures 25 and 29 and with rsegmentsof the ring 37, 38 and 39 that two adjacent magnetsof each motor are at a time energized, the unenergized magnet subsequently beingr energized and the magnet ahead of it, in the direction of rotation of the correspondingf armature, then being deenergized, whereby armature rotation is effected. Means are desirably provided for opposing the sparking between the trailing ends of the ring segments 37, 38 and 39 and the brushes 3 9', 392. The means shown includes spark choking resistances 37 3, 383 and 393 respectively connected each at one end with the contact segments 37, 38 and 39 and respectively individual to pairs of minor contact segments 374, 374; 384. 38; and 394,394, each such resistance having its remaining terminal connected with the pair of minor contact segments to ywhich., it is individual. The y/brush tips are broad enough to bridge the gaps between the major and minor segments, the circuit through each major segmentgthus momentarily persisting through the correspond-r ing resistance before the circuit is broken.

- other of the contacts 19, 2O and counter-clockwise movement upon ing end of a cam arm 47 controlled by Geneva gearing 48 operated by the elevator` car in one direction or the other (this gearing having an element'upon the same shaft with the sheave 36) to swing the arm 47 correspondmgly and thereby cause the switch 21 to be` osoillated into engagement with one or the out of engagement with the remaining one of these contacts, the change in engagement occurring as the car changes its direction. g

The mechanism is shown as about toY be adjusted to effect clockwise movement of the shaft 16, to which end the magnets 22, 23 and 24 are energized in the order in which they are enumerated and in the order in which the signals 7, 8, 16, 12 and 14 are to be lighted. When the signals 14, 13, 11 and 9 are to be lighted upon downward movement of the car the Wipers 17 and 18 have previously come into contact with their waiting contacts 14', 13', Whereafter these wipers are given the energization of the said magnets in reverse order to their enumeration. Prior to this counter- `clockwise movement theswitch 21 was in engagement with contact 19 and the up-wiper 17 was in engagement with the waiting contact 14' to include the down signal 14 on the top floor in circuit with the battery B. Sufiiciently in advancelof the descent of the car to the fourth ioor the switch 21 is engaged with' the contact 2O and separated from the contact-19 to make the up-wiper 17 ineffective and the down-wi er 18 efective during their counter-Cloe {wise movement. When' the car is reachin its lowermost position the down-wiper 18 includes the up-signal 7 in circuit with the battery B and when the car is ascending or preparatory to its ascent the switch 21 is shifted by the Geneva gearing 48 to bring the 11p-wiper 17 into circuit, whereafter the shaft 16 moves clockwise successively to display the signals 8, 10 a/nd 12, by including them in circuit with the battery as the car ascends. The shifting of the switch 21, when making the 11p-wiper 17 eiective, makes the down-wiper 18 ineffective.

The circuits which are successively established through the magnets 22,23 and 24, and

the magnets 26, 27 'and 28 respectively in paraliel with the aforesaid magnets, will be ap arent to those` skilled in the art.

ssuming that the ring 37, 38 and 39 is turning counter-clockwise the circuitswill be established as follows: When the brush 39? is engaged by the segment 37, circuit is established which is traceable from the battery B, through Ythe brush 39', the segment 37, the contact ring 41, the brush 44, the magnets 23 and 22 in series, the magnets 27, and 26 inseries, these latter twov magnets being together in parallel with themagnets 23 and 22, the brush 45, the ring 42, the contact segduring its clockwise movement,'

-midway of the' hatchways.

ment 38, the brush 392, to the battery At this time circuit through the magnets 24 and 28 is open at the segment 39. Vhen the brush 39 isengaged by the segment 38, cir` the ring 40, the contact segment 39, the brush 392, to the battery B. At this time circuit through magnets 23 and 27 is open at the segment 37. When the brush 39 is engaged by the segment 39, circuit is established which is vtraceable from the batt-eryB, through the brush 39', the segment 39, the contact ring 40, the brush 43, the magnets 24 and 23 in series, the magnets 28 and 27 in series, these latter two magnets being together in parallel with the magnets 24 and 23, the brush 44, the ring 41, the contact segment 37, the brush 392, to the battery B. At this time circuit through magnets 22 and 26 is open at the segment 38. The shaft 16 will thus turn counter-,clockwise in synchronism with the commutator.

If the ring 37,38 and 39 is turning clockwise it will be apparent that the shaft 16will be turning clockwise also.

The system of my invention enables the l0- cation of the electro-magnetic mechanism above described and pertaining to the signal lamps upon the different floors at a midpoint of the hatchway, thereby greatly simplifying the wiring and reducing the eX- pense thereof. Regardless of the number of floors in the building, there will be but one electromagnetic switching or circuit selecting mechanism for each elevator in service and by placing this on a floor midway of the hatchway, it will be obvious that a great 1 saving 1n Wiring is accomplished. Since there are but three coils or magnets, 22, 23 and 24, three Wires only will be necessary in wiring from the car-operated commutator to the electromagnetic mechanism or motor. I prefer to call this a central relay system since all of the signals are operated from-onepoint midway of the hatchway.

Referring to Figure 2, F1, F2, F3, F.1 and FQ represent the various floors in a five story vbuilding to be served by the cars 33 and 33. The car-operatedswitch 21 and the commutator rings for each car are mounted in the pent-house P at the top'of the hatchway. The electromagnetic switching mechanism for each car issituated on the third Hoor (F3) The wires 43', 44' and 45, are dropped down the hatchway of one car to its motor, and Wires 43, 44" and 45 are dropped down the hatchwayof the other car to its motor, and are connected to the respectivecommutators in the pentbeing located at a centralized point on the third floor.

Since there are but'three coils 22; 23 and 24, no matter how tall the building may be,

there will be .but three feeding wires running for one half of the length of the'hatchway.

Two more wires 19' and 20 will run from the master switch 21 to the wipers 17 and 18. In prior installations, all of the wires or each elevator system run either from the well to the topmost floor or from the penthouse totthelower-most floor. In my improved system, the longest of the signal wires will extend for only one half the height of the building, namely from the upper or lower ioor to theelectro-magnetic selector mechanism located on an intermediate Hoor, midway of the height of the building, and it is obvious that the total amount of wire neces'- sary for such an installation will be very much less than that required under the old practice. In fact, the saving in Wiring is of the order o f 50%. This system not only saves a great amount of wirlng, but what wiring there is is relatively simple. Also, by placing the electromagnetically actuated circuit selecting mechanism of both cars at a central ized point, a maintenance man can go'to that one place and tell at a glance just how the system is operating. It will be unnecessary for him'toI carry out his work from floor to floor.

While, as above pointed out, a great advantage is obtained by locating the electromagnetic mechanism at a point midway kof the system, it may, in some cases, be desirableto locate such mechanism at some other centralized point While I have herein shown and particularly described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction shown as changes may readily be made Without departing from the spirit of my invention, but y aving thus described m invention I claim the following r 1. An elevator signalingsystem for anhelevator system including a hatchway and a car operating between a plurality of oors, a signal at each floor, a circuit for each signal extending to substantially the mid-point of said hatchway, means mounted at substantially the mid-point of said hatchway for selecting' vator system including a hatchway and a car operating between a plurality of floors, a signal at each Hoor, a circuit for each signal extending to substantially the mid-point of tially the mid-point of said hatchway, a

f operatin as new and desire to secur by Letters Patent' said hatchway, a single switching mechanism having contacts individual to the circuits of said signals and a contact member complemental to these contacts, said switching mechanism beine' mounted at substantially the midpoint of said hatchway for selecting any one of said circuits, electromagnetic means for operating said switching mechanism, and means mechanically operated by and 1n accordance with the movement of said car in said hatchway for operating said electromagnetic means to select the signal corresponding to the position of said car in said hatchway. 3. An elevator signaling system for an elevator system including a hatchway and a car operating between a plurality of iioors, an upsLgnal and a down-signal at each floor, a cirf cuit for each signal extending to substansingle switching mechanism having contacts individual to the circuits of said up-signals and said down-signals and including a pair of contact members complemental to these contacts, said switching mechanism being mounted at substantially the mid-pointr of said Vhatchway for selecting any one of said circuits, electromagnetic means for operating said switching mechanism, means mechanically operated by and in accordance with the movement of said cai in said hatchway for said electromagnetic means to select the slgnal correspondingto the position of said car in said hatchway, and mechanism operable by the elevator system and serving to alternately cause etective operation of but one of said contact members at a time.

'4. Anelevator signaling system for an elef vator system including a hatchway and a car operating between a plurality of loorsan up-si al and a down-signal at each floor, a 105 Jcircult for each signal extending to substantially the mid-point of said hatchway, a single switching mechanism having contacts individualito the circuits of said up-signals l and .said down-signals and including a pair of contact members complemental to these contacts, said switching mechanism being mounted a`t substantially the mid-point of said hatchway for selecting any one of said circuits,electr'omagnetic means for operating 115 said switching mechanism, means mechanically operated by and in accordance with the f movement of said car in said hatchway for operating said electromagnetic means to select the signal corresponding to the position of said car in said hatchway, and a master switch operable by the elevator system and serving to alternately lcause effective operation of but one of said, contact members ataf time. f

5. An elevator signaling system for an elevator system including a hatchway and a Vcar operating between a pluralty of floors,

an up-signal'and a down-signal at each floor,

`a circuit for each signal extending to substantially the mid-point of said hatchway, contacts in the signaling circuits, a contact structure complemental to said contacts and mounted at substantially the mid-point of said hatchway, electromagnetic mechanism for operating said contact structure, means mechanically operated by and in accordance with the movement of said car in said hatchway for operating said electromagnetic mechanism, and mechanism operable by the elevator system and serving alternately to establish cooperative relation between the contact structure and the up-signals and the contact structure and the down-signals.

6. An elevator signaling system ,for an elevator system including a hatchway and a car operating between a plurality of iioors; a commutating device comprising a ring of at leastl three segments and brushes bearing upon said ring; mechanism whereby said ring is turned by the elevator system; conducting rings connected with and respectively individual to said ring segments; brushes upon said rings; magnets respectively individual lto said brushes and included in circuit therevwith and successively in circuit with said ring segments; a member having a wiper thereon, said magnets constituting a motor that is inv driving. relation to' said member; signal devices individual to the floors served by the elevator system and included in crcm'ts extending to substantially the midpoint of said hatchway and having contacts individual to said signal devices and a circuit portion common to the circuits of the signal devices and terminating in said wiper; the contacts respectively individual to said signal devices'being successively engaged by said wiper. l

7. An elevator signaling system for an elevator-system including a hatchway and a oar operating between a plurality of floors, a plurality of signals to be actuated in accordance with the movements of said car in said hatchway, a circuit for each lsigna-l, means for selecting Iany one of said circuits, a single electromagnetic device for operatin selecting means, and means mechanica ly operated by and in accordance with the movement of said carin said hatchway for operating said electromagnetic device to select the signal corresponding to the position of said car in said hatchway.

8. An elevator signaling system for an elevator system including a plurality of hatch- Ways and a car in each of said hatchways operating between 'a plurality. of floors, a plurality of signals to be actuated in accordance with the movements of said cars in said hatchways, a circuit for each signal extending to a centralized point in said system, means for selecting any one of said circuits, electromagnetic means for operating said selecting means, and means mechanically operated by and in vaccordance with the movesaid ments oflsaid cars in said hatchways for i operating said electromagnetic means to select the signals corresponding to the posi` tion of said cars in said hatchways.

9. An elevator signaling system for an elevat-or system including a plurality of hatchways and a car in each of said hatchways operating between a plurality of floors, a plurality of sets of signals to be actuated in accordance with the movements of said cars in said hatchways, a circuit for each signal of each set extending to a common centralized point in said system, means located at said centralized point for selecting any one of said circuits, a plurality of electromagnetic means, one for each car, for operating said selecting means, and means mechanically actuated by and in accordance with the movements of each of said cars in said hatchways for operating the respective electromagnetic means t-o select the signals corresponding to the positions of said cars in said hatchways.

10. An elevator signaling system for an elevator system including a hatchway and a car operating between a plurality of floors, a'

plurality of signals to be actuated in accordance with the movements of said car in -said hatchway, said signals being located adjacent the different floors, a circuit for each signal, means located wholly at one point only for selecting any one of said circuits, electromagnetic means for operating said selecting means, and means mechanically operated by.

and in accordance with the movement of said car in said hatchway for operating said electromagnetic means to select the signal corresponding to the position of said car in said hatchway.

11. An elevator signaling system for anV elevator system including a hatchway and a car operating between a plurality of floors, a plurality of signals to be actuated in accordance with the movements of said car in said hatchway, a circuit for each signal, means for selecting any one of said circuits,a rotary electromagnetic motor for driving said selecting means, and means including circuit connections and a commutator device mechanically operated by and in accordance with the movement of said car in said hatchway for supplying current to said motor in such manner as to cause it to rotate in synchronism with said commutator device to select the signal corresponding to the position of said car in said hatchway.

12. An elevator signaling system for an elevator system including a hatchway and a car operating between a plurality of floors, a plurality of signals to be actuated in accordance with the movements of said car in said hatchway, a circuit for each signal, means for selecting any one of said circuits, a rotary electromagnetic motor having a plurality of driving windings for operating said selecting means, 'and means including circuit con- EMIL P. BUTUSOV. 

